It was a night designed to honour four-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton but it was a teenage amputee whole stole the show at the FIA Prize Giving gala in Paris on Friday night.

Billy Monger, 18, lost his legs in tragic circumstances during an F4 race at the Donnington circuit in April after running up the back of a stationary vehicle on the track.

He was given a standing ovation after using crutches and his prosthetic legs to collect the President's Award from FIA President Jean Todt.

The gong is given to those who have "displayed courage, determination and sportsmanship but to also include those that have contributed greatly to the broader FIA community."

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Monger hopes to return to racing in the near future and shared a tweet recently of him driving a hand controlled car with the caption "Hopefully the real feeling will be coming soon!"

Hamilton was handed the Formula One world championship trophy for the fourth time, after he settled the championship in Mexico with two races to spare.

"This has been an amazing year," Hamilton told the audience of champions and FIA members gathered in a palace of France's former monarchy.

"I hope that next year's an even better year for all of you. I know for me that I'm going to try to do better."

Hamilton won nine of 20 races in 2017 and set an all-time record of 72 career pole positions as well as scoring points in every grand prix.

Asked earlier for his highlight of the season, Hamilton singled out his home British Grand Prix at Silverstone because of the support he received after the 'negativity' surrounding his failure to take part in an earlier London event.

He had also told reporters that while he did not like going to award ceremonies, or being on stage, he enjoyed watching others succeed.

Mercedes won both championships for the fourth year in a row but team boss Toto Wolff said 2017 had been particularly difficult.

Red Bull's 20-year-old Dutch driver Max Verstappen beat a field that included Hamilton and his own Australian teammate Daniel Ricciardo to the Personality of the Year award for the third successive year.

Lewis Hamilton celebrates his win in the Italian Grand Prix in September. (AAP)

The award is selected by permanently accredited media from all FIA championships.

Monaco's Formula Two winner and 2018 Sauber F1 driver Charles Leclerc won the Rookie of the Year award while Finnish rally driver Esapekka Lappi won the Action of the Year for a jump in the Rally of Portugal.